HAVE A CATCH? – The girls varsity softball team at Barnstable High School took advantage of springtime weather on March 25, enjoying an early-season practice.

The crocuses are popping up and the winds have begun to warm but the surest signs of spring are the baseballs, softballs, tennis and lacrosse balls flying through the air at area high schools.

Spring sports are getting underway at local high schools, with many holding tryouts and tennis placements this week.

Tennis

At Barnstable High School, girls tennis head coach Hedley Smith was thrilled to note that a record 24 girls tried out for the 2008 team.

“We’re keeping all of them,” he said. “Steve Francis [BHS Athletic Director] found some more uniforms and so we’re going to expand the team and build their skills.”

While the team includes four seniors, Kortney Kelley, Kate Donnelly, Maia Pliss, and Chealsea Pond, Smith said that the rest of the team is younger, though still able.

“We’re strong yet we’re young,” he said. “We have a lot of players that need to be developed.”

To accomplish that, Smith will spend a part of his practices pairing accomplished players with newer teammates.

“The veterans play real hard,” said Smith. “We want them to help develop the skills of the girls who will play next year.”

At Cape Cod Academy, head coach Cathy Cetta is confident in her own young team.

“They’re looking pretty good,” said Cetta. “I have one senior, so the bulk of the lineup is going to be ninth and tenth graders, really. They’re good players and great athletes and I think they’re ready to step up to the plate.”

What Cetta appreciates about her budding team is their uniform strength.

“We’ve got a lot of girls who are pretty close to the same level,” she said. “A lot of teams have one single player who towers over the others in terms of ability. We don’t really have that.”

“Our tennis team looks very good this year,” he said. “You don’t want to brag too much in the beginning but we have a lot of returning athletes and new players. Our strongest player is a senior, Joe Albano. He intends to play tennis in college. He’s a very strong singles player and should have a real good year.”

Cetta and Herbst noted that important changes have been made to girls and boys tennis schedules this season in order to offer the CCA teams a chance to up their competition levels.

Although CCA is a Div. 2 school both boys and girls tennis have added matches against Barnstable and Falmouth’s Div. 1 teams.

“I’m excited about the fact that for the first time we’re going to play a couple of Div. I teams, Falmouth and Barnstable,” said Herbst. “We’re looking to have a good season.”

“We specifically added Falmouth and Barnstable for more of a challenge,” said Cetta, who noted that her team will still face tough Div. 2 opponents like Sacred Heart and Chatham.

New Sturgis boys tennis head coach, Ken Huckins, is getting to know his team, another young crew that shows promise.

“It’s my first year coaching Sturgis and I’m new to the area so I don’t know what the competition is like, but we’re a young team, probably all freshmen,” he said.

Nonetheless, Huckins is impressed by their abilities.

“They will definitely improve rapidly,” he said. “They’re a bunch of talented athletes. Right now a notable player is freshman Brenton Eddy.”

At their Marstons Mills courts, the BHS boys team has been combating Mother Nature while swinging at serves.

“We’re looking cold and windblown but we’re on schedule for what we’re doing,” said head coach Dick Norman.

Norman was surprised at the 2008 turnout for tryouts recently.

“We had a very large number of boys trying out, 26,” Norman said. “For the first time we had to cut some kids.”

Norman said that his team is comprised of a very promising group of freshmen and sophomores in the starting positions.

“They’re not very big but they’re going to fool some people,” said Norman. “When they hit the ball they’re going to get bigger.”

Norman anticipates a successful season from his team, which includes returning senior and captain Tim Ball, as well as his brother, Taylor, a junior who might partner with Tim in doubles action.

Sophomore Blake Blaze is also returning to the courts and is joined by his brother, Justin, who Norman called a “very promising player.”

“It’s always nice to have some height when you’re playing doubles,” he said.

This season the team will vie for it’s fifth straight Old Colony League championship, something Norman is optimistic about.

“We always try to be strong in our league,” he said.

Lacrosse

At both Barnstable High and Cape Cod Academy, the girls varsity lacrosse programs are beginning the season in the midst of changes. Both teams have new coaches, though the coaches are familiar to each other.

New CCA head coach Julia Tatsch took over for Melissa Jensen, who accepted the head coaching position at BHS this season. Both are enjoying their new positions.

Although Jensen has only been with her team for little more than a week, she has already seen progress.

“I’ve seen huge improvements,” she said.

For the past two seasons the team has had coaching issues, which Jensen feels posed problems on the field.

“The coaching staff they’ve had in previous years has not been beneficial to them,” she said. “This is going to be a changed season. They’re working hard as a group to benefit from their strengths and learn their weaknesses.”

Jensen has appreciated watching them come together more as a team.

“When they have those connections as a team, those great transitions, it’s really terrific,” she said. “They’re going to learn as a team and work as a team. That’s our motto this year.”

Since Tatsch previously coached junior varsity lacrosse at CCA, she has forged relationships with the girls on her team.

“They look great. I’m really excited,” she said. “We have a lot of returning players, mostly seniors. I’m positive about them. I’m looking forward to working with the girls I’ve seen grow through the years and watching them develop as varsity players.”

Tatsch admitted to some nervousness about her first year as a varsity coach, but credits the team and her co-coach, Kerrie Vetrano, with easing her worries.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect but my co-coach is wonderful,” said Tatsch. “She’s bringing a lot of fresh ideas and positive energy to the team.”

In boys’ lacrosse, CCA head coach Phil Kenney is pleased to have

a number of strong returning players. Among those continuing their CCA lax careers are Sam Witham, the leading scorer in 2007, Kenyon Massey, the second top scorer in 2007, midfielders Kevin McKay and Patrick Mingle, and senior defenseman Frank Bonvie.

“He’s returning for fourth year,” said Kenney of Bonvie. “We’re looking for big things from him.”

In goal will be sophomore Rashad el Sehrawey, who Kenney feels will continue to improve throughout the season.

“I think we have a good nucleus of players returning from last year. Most of our offense, midfield and defense are returning,” said Kenney.

This year marks the second that CCA will play as part of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association as a Div. 3 team, something Kenney is excited about.

“In the past we were in a private school league,” he said. “The goal is to obviously qualify for the MIAA tourney. This is the second year of having a full MIAA schedule.”

Softball

It wouldn’t be spring without baseball and softball. Players have already taken to the practice fields at BHS, while a new Sturgis JV team is honing their skills, as well.

According to Sturgis Athletic Director, Jim Barrasso, the idea of a softball team at Sturgis had been tossed around for some time, pun intended.

“It was a grass-roots movement of players and parents to start a team. It's been talked about for a couple years, and [coaches] Brian and Kelly Bondarek stepped in and really made it happen,” said Barrasso. “There were many families involved in starting the program. The DiCiccos, the Spencers, the Corners, and the Haydens really stepped up and made me realize we could do it this year."

“It was really because of a selfish dad that wants to spend time with his daughter,” joked head coach Brian Bondarek, who will share coaching duties with his wife, Kelly.

Bondarek said that the impetus for starting a team was interest from his daughter, Mary, and others at Sturgis who longed to play the game.

Because of the team’s newness, it was decided to start them out at the JV level, though with a full 14-game schedule.

“We’re an actual real team,” said Bondarek, adding that he is already enjoying working with his 15-member team. “They’re a bunch of comedians. The reason we’re out on the field is to have fun.”

At Barnstable High, head coach Jen Police and the 2008 softball team is looking forward to the new season and new opportunities. After finishing 6-12 in 2007, Police said that she is hoping for a more successful season.

“The Red Raiders are ready to bounce back and hope to return to the MIAA State Tournament,” she said.

Police noted that senior co-captain Danielle Cotellessa is in top form and set to be the ace of the pitching staff, while sophomore Lindsay Grover is ready for plenty of innings in relief.

Returning senior co-captains Kirstie Beaton and Kristen Logan will help maintain the strength of the infield, while Abbey Bowes, also a co-captain, Shannon Murphy and Jess Magalhaes, also seniors, will make up the right side respectively.

Senior Jaimee Fligg will lend her fleet feet to centerfield and junior Seana Coleman is eager to rebound following a nagging injury in 2007.

The team also boasts several strong newcomers, including Margaret Cobb and Tori Snow.

“They have tremendous athletic ability and will easily make their way into the everyday line-up,” said Police.

Other players to watch according to Police are junior Sheila Meagher and freshman Hannah Cunningham.

“Sheila can hit from both sides of the plate and is capable of running out any infield hit,” said Police. “Hannah has great hands, both offensively and defensively, and has great speed as well. She will be an exciting player to follow over the next four years.”

Baseball

In baseball action, new BHS head coach Dan Proto is keeping a close eye on his team, a mix of fresh new talent following the departure of 12 top players at the end of last season.

While Proto is aware that his team includes a number of new players, he is optimistic about their strengths, especially following batting practice.

“We’ve got some good hitters,” he said.

Proto was impressed with sophomore Andrew McAteer, who knocked in some nice long shots during practice.

“He looks like he can swing the bat pretty well and can also pitch,” said Proto.

Another prospective pitcher that Proto is watching carefully is Sean Mullen, a sophomore.

“He could see some innings on the mound at varsity level,” Proto said.

Golf

Girls golf is underway at Barnstable High School, with Mark Titus at the helm for his second year.

“I think we’ll be pretty good. I have a lot of kids back, four of whom are seniors who were in the top six in our ladder last year,” he said.

Titus feels the four top players, Courtney Crocker, Julie Cunningham, Heather Sprinkle, and Emily Sturgis, will be tremendous assets to the 2008 team. He noted that his best younger player is Christina Brewster.

As always, Titus anticipates some excellent competition, particularly against Falmouth, Dennis-Yarmouth, and possibly Duxbury, each of which have strong returning players. Nonetheless, Titus remains confident in his team as they truly enjoy the game of golf.